By Leipziger
October 5 2006

Magners League leaders Llanelli Scarlets visit Kingston Park for the first time on Friday night looking to build on a good start and last year’s runners-up place in the EDF Energy Cup, and crush any Newcastle hopes of making it out of the group stage for the first time. The Falcons will be wearing their new pink Cancer Research shirts. Former Leeds Director of Rugby Phil Davies brings a star-studded squad to the North East, and could field a full team of Welsh internationals: Dafydd James, Mark Jones, Matthew Watkins, James Bater (actually a flanker, but I’m being creative), Garan Evans, Stephen Jones, Dwayne Peel, Iestyn Thomas, Matthew Rees, John Davies, Vernon Cooper, Alix Popham, Nathan Thomas, Gavin Thomas and Dafydd Jones.

Add to that captain and Ireland and Lions star Simon Easterby and All Black centre Regan King, and it’s clear to see we will have a difficult task on Friday. Although James Grindal will not have to worry about Lions scrum-half Dwayne Peel, promising Clive Stuart-Smith will form a strong partnership in the half backs who will look repeat their four-try victory over Harlequins last Sunday at Stradey Park, when Darren Daniel, Inoke Afeaki and Nathan Thomas tries secured a bonus point, and return to Twickenham where they lost last season’s final 26-10.

Llanelli currently lead the Celtic League with 19 points, four clear of Ulster, who defeated them in the first game of the season, and Edinburgh. Since the Ulster defeat, wins at home to Glasgow and Leinster and away at Newport and Connacht to top the table, hoping to become the second successive Welsh champions following the Ospreys last year.

In the professional era, our only clash with Llanelli was in the Cup last year in west Wales on October 9th, when Anthony Elliott and Tom May’s tries seemed to have given us a victory before Gareth Bowen scored a last gasp try to win the game 22-20 for his team at Stradey Park.

Stradey Park is currently the subject of controversy, with the sale of the legendary ground for housing threatened by a possible flood risk, and now that the building of a new 15,000 seat stadium has been delayed. In the meantime the Scarlets have requested financial assistance from the WRU.

Team-wise, Toby Flood returns after a strain of the backside at fly-half, partnering Lee Dickson on the scrum-half’s first senior start. Johnny Williams comes into the front row, and Eni Gesinde continues at six in front of captain Phil Dowson.

15 Anthony Elliott
14 Tom May
13 Jamie Noon
12 Joe Shaw
11 John Rudd
10 Toby Flood
9 Lee Dickson
1 Johnny Williams
2 Matt Thompson
3 Micky Ward
4 Andy Perry
5 Jason Oakes
6 Eni Gesinde
7 Ben Woods
8 Phil Dowson (captain)

Replacements:
16 David Wilson
17 Andy Long
18 Geoff Parling
19 Brent Wilson
20 Mike McCarthy
21 James Grindal
22 Tom Dillon

Llanelli field one half of their Lions half-back partnership with Dwayne Peel in the team but Stephen Jones on the bench, and are captained by fellow tourist Simon Easterby. New Zealand centre Regan King against Jamie Noon will be an intriguing tussle.

15 Barry Davies
14 Dafydd James
13 Matthew Watkins
12 Regan King
11 Mark Jones
10 Ceiron Thomas
9 Dwayne Peel
1 Phil John
2 Matthew Rees
3 Deacon Manu
4 Inoke Afeaki
5 Adam Jones
6 James Bater
7 Simon Easterby (capt)
8 Alix Popham

Replacements:
16 Craig Dunlea
17 Aled Gravelle
18 Vernon Cooper
19 Nathan Thomas
20 Clive Stuart-Smith
21 Stephen Jones
22 Garan Evans